Apparatus for homogeneous spraying film



April 6, 1954 c, N, EDWARDS 2,674,167

APPARATUS FOR HOMOGENEOUS SPRAYING FILM Filed Sept. 18, 1950 Patented Apr. 6, 1954 APPARATUS FOR HOMOGENEOUS 'srnAYING FILM Charle's'N. Edwards,'Prlnce;Georges County, Md. Application Septembe ,19 0 Ser N 0-. 5A89 lemma as mine 35, u. a Code (1952 sec. 266) 5 Claims.

"This invention relates to a cycle-sprayer zfQ applying liquids, -solutions,.or powders to :a suriaceor asupport.

More particularlyftheinvention is directed to a cycloesprayer which will evenly spray and homogeneously apply liquids, solutions or powders as a single or multiple coating to flexible or nonflex-ible permeable or :non-permeable surfaces or supports which may zgbeestationary or in motion. Thesize of the device-may be very small in comparison to the surface treated. It does not clog,

wear or'leak .in any normal usage, does not require excessive precision manufacture and is easilyassembled and disassembled. Additionally its operation is not dependenton the use of supplementarypressure orpumps and hence it need not 'be subject to the difficulties resulting'from pressure variations frequently occurring in this type equipment. "It may however be advantageously used in pressure systems.

Prior methods of .applyingicoatings or solutions :to a surface are many and varied but all appear :tobeof limited applicationorinherently unsuited for .the primary purposes of ;-the present improve.- ments. Dipping a surface-or support-usually in- :volves difficulty in controlling the quantity of liquid adhering to the support or surface notwithstanding the 21156 .of-suchexpedients as vary.- ing the texture of the surface -or the viscosity of the solution. Brushes, squeegees or rollers ire.-

quently-produce streaksor leavevforeign =bodies1on thesurface and do not provide the constant flow required for some installations.

Prior pressure sprays for J'ets place severe limitations on the system in :which they are used. 1

The pressure must :be constantly uniform to achieve uniform and homogeneous application, and all parts are under-pressures whichsubject the auxiliary equipment to potential 'leakagei or eruption. :These prior :pressure spray techniques fail to evenly aandihomogeneously apply solution to largeareas unless the spraynoz zle is .excessiyee ly distant from the support or'surface being sprayed. Small orificessuch vas are 21158411 in form.-

ing jets are easily'cloggedand rendered useless ing the orifices for different 'film speeds and the difliculty of obtaining even development of the film. For example, the us of non-intersecting jets may resultintoo rapid-oxidation during the period moving is mot'being subjected spray, while intersecting Jets may create -whirl=- ilatlc-atomizers toprovide a spray or mist "is virtually prohibitive when active reducing agents ;ar.e present in the solution or liquid, because they are pxidized before theycan'be supplied to the surface :to be treated.

T e present improvements are particularly suited for andwillbe described inlconnectionwith a rapid photographic .film processing device, in which-is provided a supply of treating liquid'connecteii to the central portionof -a 'slitted receptacle. The-receptacle mayb cylindrical and a slit or slits may betransverselydisposed-in its outer wall. 'lthas been .found that a single slitis suftalent for satisfactory operation with developing and fixing liquids. When a pluralityof slits is used theyshould be shaped and/or arranged so .thatliquird dispensed through different openings will notintersect'beforebeingimposed onthe surfacetube treated. soas to resultin deleterious uneven applioation similar to that resulting from intersection of liquids moving incone like conface is not objectionable, but :it is preferred that an projections or fins which are :used .be very short so as to avoid excessive movement about the ner W811- It-will be 'seen'that boththe ilzlustr ed embodiments-provide for the even flow of liquid.

The developing, fixin -01 rinse liquid is pref- .erab y introduced centrally of the drum er-cylinder aszthroughahollow entrance tube or bearing.

atter the liquid enters-the chamber it falls by gravitational force toward thebottom and contacts theainner :pBriP'IJen'ad wall or previously in- :troducedrliquid either of which it isbelieved, rap idlyqim-parts a high velocity to the incoming liquid- E'Phelinear velocity attained by the liquid prior to leaving the cylinder approximates 'thatof the wall; The rapidly-moving liquid is'forced throughthe slit, -wh'ich' forms a restricted passa e for dispensing the liquid, .by centrifugal force.

The .treatingliquid has a ribbon like form on leaving the slit. The speed of rotation of the (humor dispenser is such that liquid is simultaneously being directed outwardly from the openingtowardthe treated-surface over the 360 of rotation. Forexamplepthe specd of rotation may approximate 6000 =revolutions 1-perminute. The-result is that-material moving-through a loop spray drum side in a manner so that rotation of the motor will cause rotation of the drum. An entrance bearing 22 for developing liquid, hypo or other liquid is centrally positioned on the opposite side 23 of the cylinder [0. The cylinder rotates relatively to the bearing, .22 which has a fitting extension for connection to flexible or other tube 24 through which liquid may be fed by gravity or other pressure from supply The use of vanes within the cylinder is optional rather than essential. When used they may be radially disposed for a portion of the distance between the center of the cylinder and the inner periphery of the cylinder so as to provide both for ready entrance of the material to be dispensed and for its movement along the inner'periphery of the cylinder as mentioned above.

An object of invention is to provide an im- 'proved device for uniformly applying liquids or --powders to a surface to be treated.

Another object is to provide a cycle-sprayer --rotatab1y mounted and having an opening in -its peripheral wall which uniformly dispenses -material during rotation of the cycle-sprayer.

Another object is to provide a rotatably'mount- 'edfdispensing device which is connected to a source of rotary power and to a supply of treating material which is so constructed that the 1 incomingmaterial may move to the inner wall of the dispensing device and attain a substan- ;tial velocity before being ejected from the dis :pensing device by centrifugal force.

-Another object is to provide a method of si- :multaneously and uniformly treating a length :of material.

Another object is to provide a method of con- .-tinuously processing exposed motion picture film by forming it into a loop or partial loop configuration and approximately simultaneously applying a treating liquid by projecting it on the entire inside surface of the loop.

Another object is to provide a cyclo-spray device which is uniformly effective over the width of the material to be treated and for 360 and which operates with sufficient force and speed to prevent. liquid applied to a surface above the cycloespray from falling on material positioned .below it.

Another object is to provide a cyclo-spray de- -.vice particularly well suited for dispensing the fluids used in developing photographic film.

Another object is to provide a light weight means for rapidly processing photographic film.

These and other objects will be manifest from -a consideration of the following description, claims and drawing in which:

1 is a diagrammatic partly broken away .yiew of a single unit of the cyclo-spray device showing the driving motor and gravity type liquid feed, together witha bottom supply tank which *may be used: 7 Fig. 2 is an'exploded view showing the manner .of mounting the spray unit on the driving motor, the inner construction of one side of a spray drum modified by having radially disposed vanes secured to it and how the spray unit may be assembled.

, Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 depicts a hollow cylinder or receptacle 10, i. e. without radially disposed vanes, which is slit as at 52 g and supported for rapid rotation by electric or other motor i4. During operation the member on particular desires or requirements.

tank 25 or sucked through from tank 26. The tank 26 may function as a drainage tank in a circulating system (not shown), as a supply tank, or as both a supply and drainage tank depending It may be vented as at 28.

As will be understood the tube 24 may be connected to liquid supply tank 25 for gravity or other pressure feed or may be inserted in vented tank 26 as at 30.

A housing 32 integral with tank 26 and perpendicularly disposed thereto has ingress passage34 and an egress slit 36 leading to another chamber (not shown) for the entering moving picture film inother material 35, a plurality of roller guides such as 31, 38, 39, 40, and 4| form the film into a loop partially or nearly completely round the centrally disposed cyclo-spray uni; as desired or required for the continuous processing being carried out.

The guides may be spool shaped to avoid damaging contact with the film. The dispensed liquid may drain into tank 26 through the drain shown at 42.

The slit at 12 is preferably as long or slightly longer than the Width of the material to be treated so that the substantially 360 spray dispensed during operation will prevent liquid applied to the top reach on portion of material in the hous ing from falling on the lower portion. Drum 42 is provided to remove the spent or otherwise excess liquid. The housing has a door portion 44 which forms a side of the housing and which can be latched in any convenient manner. The hose Referring specifically to Fig. 2, in which like parts in Fig. 1 have been given like numerals,

the side 20 has secured thereto radially disposed vanes. These vanes permit ready entrance of the centrally introduced treating liquid and extend to 'a distance short of the inner periphery 'of'the slitted portion. The vanes may accordingly function during operation to force the treating liquid to the inner periphery and yet do not interfere with its subsequent movement for dispensing as above described.

The film 35 is suitably driven or drawn through the housing 32 by means (not shown) at a predetermined and uniform rate. While only a single unit is shown it'will be understood that .a

plurality 0'! such units may be used in the continuous development of motion picture mm or other material which may be receiving a number of treatments or coatings.

Assuming the illustrated unit to be used for projecting high speed developing liquid of a type known per se, the incoming material moves through the housing or chamber 32 as previously described. After leaving through opening 36 it may again be looped or festooned as desired for a rinse followed by a hypo application and final rinses. As before stated the rinse liquid and/or hypo may individually be appliedby -a similar-cyclo-sprayunit as shown.

to projection 58 of thecyclo- {I a The application of afribbonlikestream/Joli liquid as above described in the continuous development of film is believed to constitute a new method which avoids the disadvantages of known methods. It is contemplated that structural changes from the structures specifically shown may sometimes be resorted to in the formation of the ribbon form and the practice of the method.

The application of the developing and hypo liquid by the cycle-spray is particularly advantageous. While rinses may be preformed satisfactorily by single or multiple immersions in continuous processing, use of the cycle-spray for these operations permits a substantial saving in weight which is important as the present invention contemplates a portable unit.

The drawings have been made somewhat diagrammatic to better show the relationship of parts. It is to be understood that selection of materials such as would exclude light from undeveloped film in its movement from its source through passage 34 and the treating chamber of chambers is within the scope of the present invention.

The slit at 12 has been described as transversely of the drum unit. It may however somewhat be angularly disposed on the face of the drum. Excessive angularity will render priming of the unit more awkward because of escape of the liquid. Priming may sometimes be necessary particularly where a suction type feed is used.

The width of the slit may vary within reasonable limits and in accordance with the particular treatment. A width of .013 inches is illustrative of that satisfactorily used in applying liquids in r."

rapid film developing processing in a chamber such as 32 having about four feet of film in the formed loop. A film speed of approximately 60 feet per minute is illustrative rather and limitative of processing rates successfully used. The diameter of the cyclo-spray unit of such a unit may approximate three inches, and its speed of rotation may approximate 5000 revolutions per minute.

It is not desired to be limited to the illustrated and described embodiments but rather by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. A device for applying treating fiuid to continuous surfaces of a strip material, said device including a housing and having a work chamber and having an ingress and egress opening through which material to be treated may continuously move, support means for said strip material mounted in said chamber and arranged so that a substantially looplike configuration may be formed by said material moving around said support means and through the housing, a rotatable spray unit mounted in said chamber centrally of said loop forming supports, said chamber being completely open between said supports and said spray unit to thereby provide unobstructing passage-Ways from the spray unit to the material, and means for rotating said spray unit to dispense treating fiuid and direct it through said passage-ways in direct impingement against the entire inside surface of strip material.

2. The combination of claim 1 further defined in that said spray unit is a receptacle with an outer wall ha ing a narrow longitudinal slit extending across said wall through which slit the treating fiuid is projected in "a fine spray during each complete revolution of the receptacle.

3. A device for homogeneously spraying a liquid on a substantially closed loop of strip material, comprising a howsing for said loop of strip material, guide means for said loop mounted in said housing, a hollow cylindrical receptacle mounted for rotation in said housing within said loop, a narrow longitudinal opening in said receptacle, means for admitting said liquid into said receptacle, and means for rotating said receptacle.

4. A device for applying a homogeneous spray to a strip, comprising a. hollow housing forming a chamber for said strip, means for movably mounting said strip within said chamber in a substantially closed loop, a rotatable spray device comprising a hollow cylindrical receptacle having an outer wall with a spray opening therein, means for admitting liquid into said receptacle. and means mounting said spray device for rotation in said housing within the loop of said strip.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said spray opening is a longitudinal slot in said outer wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,223,664 Brewster Apr. 24, 1917 1,610,782 Homan Dec. 14, 1926 1,728,361 Pifer Sept. 1'7, 1929 1,907,252 Debris May 2, 1933 1,908,230 Fawkes May 9, 1933 2,419,853 Pask Apr. 29, 1947 2,478,896 Cobb Aug. 16, 1949 2,492,133 Cobb- Dec. 27, 1949 2,548,573 Wampole Apr. 10, 1951 2,565,718 Christensen Aug. 28, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 658,797 Germany Apr. 13, 1938 

